No parking charges for Covid vaccination patients in Haywards Heath

The venue in Perrymount Road shut during the first national lockdown last March and the district council voted in September for its permanent closure.

However since then it has hosted a Covid testing site and is now being used by the NHS to vaccinate patients against the coronavirus.

The district council has applied to West Sussex County Council so it can introduce parking charges at Clair Hall, but the Lib Dems at County Hall challenged this as they were worried people turning up to be vaccinated would have to pay to park.

In response, Stephen Hillier, the district council’s cabinet member for economic growth, said: “NHS patients can of course park for free at the mass vaccination centre when they come for their Covid-19 jabs, and that is not going to change.

“We’ve granted the NHS a licence to use the building for as long as they need, and patients will be able to park for free for as long as the vaccination centre is in place.

“Observations to the contrary are completely inaccurate and unhelpful to this crucial vaccination rollout.”

Jonathan Ash-Edwards, MSDC leader, added: “The decision to introduce parking charges in this car park was made in the autumn to help ensure the car park can be properly managed for all users and the necessary legal paperwork is being undertaken so this can take effect in the future.”

Meanwhile a judicial review claim looking to quash September’s decision to permanently close Clair Hall has been dismissed prior to hearings due to take place this week.

Campaigners had argued MSDC’s decision was made in haste and without any public consultation.

But this week both parties agreed to dismiss the claim in light of Clair Hall being used for the vaccination programme.

Mr Ash-Edwards said the future of the facility ‘will be considered further when the NHS no longer needs the site’.

He added: “Both parties recognise the importance of amicably settling legal disputes, particularly when taxpayers money is being used and in the midst of a pandemic. We are pleased to have now reached a practical solution, acceptable to both sides.”

Robert Eggleston, a Lib Dem district councillor, described the outcome as the Tory-led MSDC ‘conceding defeat’ and admitting its decision to close Clair Hall was ‘unlawful’.

He tweeted: “This is a vindication of the stance Liberal Democrat councillors took when we opposed their plan.”